Bupa has appointed a new chief legal officer following the retirement of Paul Newton after 29 years at the company.
Newton was promoted to general counsel in 2005 and joined the executive team in 2013, when he became chief legal officer. He will be succeeded by Bupa Global director of legal and corporate affairs Penny Dudley from 1 April.
Newton will temporarily re-assume the role of general counsel, advising the board of directors, until the end of 2016 when he will finally leave the company.
Dudley joined Bupa’s international health and insurance arm in 2010 as head of legal before being promoted to the global legal director position in 2013.
Bupa chief executive Stuart Fletcher said: “Paul has built our legal function into an externally recognised world-class team. I value his counsel, experience and contribution immensely.
“His deep commitment to growing other has enabled us to set a standard for leadership across the global legal function that few organisations can match.”
Newton slashed Bupa’s legal panel in 2008, undertaking a wholesale review of its litigation, NHS procurement and M&A firms in order to cut costs and reduce the 12-firm roster to nine.
One year later Bupa Group Legal Employment undertook its first panel review with DAC Beachcroft, DLA Piper and Pinsent Masons winning spots.
Firms on Bupa’s current global panel include Clyde & Co, DAC Beachcroft, Herbert Smith Freehills, Nabarro, Ropes & Gray, Slaughter and May and White & Case.